Nov. 18, 2012- Photo Workshop – Part 6 - Grand Portage

Our North House Folk School Photography Class traveled almost to the Canadian border to visit Grand Portage National Monument. When we entered the grounds of the National Monument the first thing we saw was this birch bark wigwam.

WigwamGrandPortageNationalMonument20121005

Next was a small garden showing how the Native Americans grew the “Three Sisters” (corn, beans, and squash.) Corn was grown in hills and it took nitrogen out of the soil. Beans added nitrogen back into the soil and the bean runners climbed up the corn stalks. Squash was grown around the edge of the garden. Its prickly stems ran along the ground and discouraged small animals from coming in and eating the vegetables. I was intrigued by the colorful “scarecrow” figure.

ScarecrowGrandPortageNationalMonument20121005

Grand Portage was a trading post and this is a replica of the Great Hall. It was a gathering place for the traders and Native American people who met here to do business.

MainBuildingGrandPortageNationalMonument20121005

Martha was the interpreter on duty that day. She very helpfully answered our questions and even posed for us in the garden.

MarthaGrandPortageNationalMonument20121005

Fur trading was a very important activity at Grand Portage. One room of the Great Hall displayed some of the furs that were traded here. The round furs on the left are beaver skins. The long dark one in front is from a moose. On the right is a black bear and then a wolf. You can pick out the raccoon by the ringed tail and the red fur in the middle is a fox.

FursGrandPortageNationalMonument20121005

As a class we were always looking for interesting patterns. In the canoe warehouse I looked up at the ceiling and saw a large canoe hanging upside down. This is a view of the braces and floorboards of the canoe.

CanoeDetailsGrandPortageNationalMonument20121005

In the canoe warehouse Carl was explaining to a group that he is a carpenter at Grand Portage. He described the way canoes were built and how important they were to the traders. Later I caught him relaxing outside enjoying his pipe.

CarlCarpenterGrandPortagePark20121005

Grand Portage had stockade walls built around the entire area. These are replicas, of course, but I liked the effect of the lichens growing on the pointed ends of the logs.

StockadeWallsGrandPortageNationalMonument20121005